At least 22 confirmed dead in fire at Hwaseong battery factory

According to fire authorities, the blaze started on the second floor of a three-story building owned by Aricell, a lithium battery manufacturer in Seosin-myeon, Hwaseong, around 10:31 a.m.

Twenty-one bodies have been recovered at the site, and one person died en route to the hospital earlier in the day after suffering cardiac arrest, bringing the total death toll to 22, according to Gyeonggi firefighters. Eight others were injured, with two in critical condition.

Among the victims, 20 are foreign nationals, including 18 Chinese nationals, fire authorities said. The victims are among 23 individuals who were initially reported missing.

Fire rescue workers contained the blaze at around 3:10 p.m., allowing them to enter the facility and discover the bodies.

Out of 108 employees present at the plant that day, around 70 are believed to have been in the building where the fire originated. While most workers on the first floor exited the building, most workers on the second floor were presumed trapped.

A witness said the fire resembled an atomic explosion.

“I was having a rest at a dorm nearby when I heard an explosive sound,” a 24-year-old worker from Sri Lanka told the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily. “I realized how severe the situation was when some burnt iron pieces flew through the air amid explosions.”

At around 10:54 a.m., authorities issued a level 2 emergency response — the second-highest level, requiring support from three to seven fire stations and the deployment of 31 to 50 pieces of fire equipment — due to the fire occurring in a facility handling hazardous chemical substances and the potential for more casualties and burns.

Authorities mobilized 68 equipment, including pumpers, and approximately 159 firefighters to combat the fire.

Firefighters reportedly faced challenges initially entering the building as battery cells exploded. At least 35,000 batteries were believed to be inside the plant.

They also faced challenges in extinguishing the fire with water due to the explosive nature of lithium batteries.

Upon receiving a report of the fire, President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an emergency directive to the head of the national fire authorities and the Minister of the Interior and Safety.

“Mobilize all possible personnel and equipment and devote all energy to searching for and rescuing people inside the building,” Yoon said.

He also stressed the safety of the firefighters as the flames spread rapidly.

Yoon paid a visit to the site of the fire later Monday, offering his condolences to victims and their bereaved families, according to the presidential office.

In an afternoon briefing, local fire authorities suggested that the fire may have originated from a battery cell, based on a witness account from an employee working on the second floor of the burning factory.

In response to the incident, investigative agencies launched a joint team of police and prosecutors to probe the battery factory fire later Monday.

The Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office said that the investigation team was launched because the fire was a “serious disaster that resulted in numerous casualties.”

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]